You might think strapping your smartphone to a firearm is the last thing you'd want to do with it, but what if it could provide helpful information while hunting or during target practice? That's just what inventor Jason Giddings and his new company, Inteliscope, LLC, decided to do when they combined guns with smart devices to launch the Inteliscope Tactical Rifle Adapter. Along with an iOS app, the adapter allows gun owners to mount their iPhone or iPod Touch to a firearm and use it as a sight with a heads-up display showing real-time data on their surroundings.

The Inteliscope adapter provides a protective cover for an iPhone or iPod Touch that can quickly attach and release from a Picatinny (Mil-STD-1913) or Weaver tactical rail. Using an app, the iOS device can then act as a gun sight, complete with 5x digital zoom and an adjustable mount that lets users peek around corners. The app also works in portrait mode, so the adapter can be affixed to the side of a firearm if needed.

It's hard to imagine an iPhone giving a clearer view than a standard scope, but the included app does offer some features to turn it into a handy heads-up display. Aside from a choice of different cross hairs, users will be able to see data on local prevailing winds, GPS coordinates, a compass, ballistics info, and a shot timer, all at a glance. The attached device can even act as a mounted flashlight or strobe, but probably the most useful feature is the ability to record and play back video of each shot.

The Inteliscope system is not without its drawbacks though. The company has noted that the iPhone/iPod Touch's camera optics only support short range targets, and using calibers larger than .223 or 5.56 mm could damage your smart device. The developers have also advised potential customers to make sure hunting with electronic-enhanced devices is legal in their region. Still, it does provide a fairly cost-effective means for giving any gun a snazzy high-tech upgrade. Just make sure to detach the adapter before accepting any phone calls.

Inteliscope is currently accepting pre-orders through its website, with adapters available for the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPod Touch. They cost US$69.99 each and are expected to ship in June.

Check out the video below to see some initial tests of a prototype Inteliscope Tactical Rifle Adapter.

Jonathan grew up in Norway, China, and Trinidad before graduating film school and becoming an online writer covering green technology, history and design, as well as contributing to video game news sites like Filefront and 1Up. He currently resides in Texas, where his passions include video games, comics, and boring people who don't want to talk about either of those things. All articles by Jonathan FincherFollow @jonathanfincher

Interesting idea. That being said, sounds like a great way to destroy your iPhone, even at 5.56.

squeezboks 24th May, 2013 @ 06:14 am PDT

Novell idea but I don't think you can actually use it as a site (I think you still need to use a scope or the built in sites) but in long range shooting have wind information could be useful. If you can see the screen in daylight...

Jon Smith 24th May, 2013 @ 10:31 am PDT

One thing that immediately occurs to me is it could be linked to other phones in a hunting party, share gps coordinates, and flash red if your point of aim is too close to other people.